As evening approached, the atmosphere inside the grand hall grew even livelier.
Crystal lamps hung high from the ceiling, scattering golden reflections across every corner of the vast chamber. Soft orchestral music flowed through the air, blending with the conversations of nobles and officials exchanging polite words filled with hidden intentions.
Amid the bustling crowd, Luo Shixin was engaged in conversation with several government officials. His tall, upright posture made him stand out clearly among the younger nobles surrounding him. The aura of a battlefield general still clung to him even when he stood still, causing those speaking with him to unconsciously maintain a respectful demeanor.
Not far away, a male guest—Lin Yuan's relative who had arrived as a representative of the Eastern Sea Kingdom—was deep in discussion with him. From time to time, the man glanced toward Lu Xiao as though he had known him long ago, offering a friendly smile.
Lu Xiao returned it with a gentle nod, polite yet distant.
Meanwhile, Xiang Shuai had disappeared somewhere unknown. No one noticed when he left, as though he had simply vanished into the crowd.
But for Xue Yunxue, the lively atmosphere felt increasingly suffocating.
The noise of the crowd sounded too loud, and the mixed fragrances of countless perfumes weighed heavily in the air. The occasional unfamiliar gazes directed toward her made her chest feel tight with discomfort.
She raised a hand and gently massaged her temple.
"Are you tired, Xue'er?" Lu Xiao asked softly beside her.
"Mm… yes," Xue Yunxue replied quietly, suppressing a sudden wave of drowsiness. "I'm a little sleepy."
And… bored, she added silently in her heart.
Lu Xiao's gaze softened. Without hesitation, he stood.
"I'll take you home."
Xue Yunxue turned toward him. "What about the others?"
"I've already sent them a message."
His fingers moved lightly in the air, typing several lines through the chakra computer before sending them to Lin Yuan and the others.
"Let's go back and rest," he said, gently taking her hand.
The warmth of his touch calmed her slightly.
The two of them left the hall together. The sounds of the banquet gradually faded behind them, replaced by the quiet stillness of the palace corridors. Wall lamps stretched along the passage, casting faint shadows that followed their steps.
But after only a few steps outside, Xue Yunxue suddenly stopped.
Her expression turned awkward.
"I need to use the restroom for a moment," she said softly.
Lu Xiao nodded without suspicion. "Alright. I'll wait here."
Xue Yunxue turned toward a quieter side corridor, her footsteps slowly fading into the distance.
She entered the restroom, quickly finished, and hurried back to where Lu Xiao was waiting.
But the moment she stepped outside, her pace slowed.
The corridor felt… different.
The distance seemed endlessly stretched. The wall lamps glowed dimly, and ahead appeared a forked path she was certain had not existed before.
Xue Yunxue frowned. She tried recalling the direction she had come from, yet every step only brought her back to a place that felt the same.
As if she were walking in circles within a sealed space.
"Sister Xue, this is an illusion trap," Moa's voice sounded inside her mind.
"An illusion trap? So none of this is real?"
"Yes. Focus your mind. Do not trust what you see. Use your spiritual energy."
Xue Yunxue took a deep breath and briefly closed her eyes.
Spiritual energy spread from her body, flowing gently yet widely like ripples across water. The surrounding world trembled faintly. The corridor walls appeared cracked, like fragile false projections.
And then—a real path revealed itself.
She immediately walked toward it.
At the end of the corridor stood a figure she knew well.
Lu Xiao.
He stood alone beneath the lamplight, calm and upright.
Relief escaped her lips as she quickened her steps.
Lu Xiao turned. A faint smile appeared upon his face when he saw her—
but the smile froze instantly.
His expression tightened. His eyes widened with rare panic.
"Xue'er, watch out—!"
Before Xue Yunxue could react—
A large, rough hand appeared from behind her, gripping her shoulder with terrifying strength.
The air around her distorted instantly.
Wind spiraled violently, forming a dark vortex that swallowed the light. Her body felt both weightless and violently pulled, as though space itself collapsed beneath her feet.
"Lu Xiao—!"
Her body was dragged away.
The attacker's figure dissolved into dense black mist—cold and suffocating—wrapping around her completely before pulling her into the vortex and carrying her upward.
Without hesitation—
Lu Xiao's body instantly transformed into the same black mist.
Dark energy erupted from him as he chased after the vortex with terrifying speed.
Two streams of black energy shot through space, pursuing each other across the night sky.
Xue Yunxue struggled.
Sharp winds sliced against her skin, stealing her breath. She gathered her spiritual energy, attempting to stabilize herself amid the brutal pull.
"Let me go!"
Soft green energy belonging to the plant element burst from her body, attempting to resist the vortex.
But the black mist was like a bottomless abyss.
Her vines struck only empty air.
Her heart pounded wildly.
She pushed her spiritual energy even further.
Gentle green light exploded outward, spreading like living roots that breathed with life. The energy twisted rapidly, colliding with the black mist restraining her. Two opposing forces clashed violently, producing sharp hissing sounds in the air.
Then, without warning—
the pulling force suddenly vanished.
Her body plummeted straight downward.
Wind roared past her ears as rocky ground rushed toward her with lethal speed.
Her reflexes acted faster than thought.
Green energy flared brilliantly.
Dozens of massive vines burst from the earth, shooting upward like living serpents and wrapping around her just before impact. The vines tightened, absorbing the devastating force that shattered the rocks beneath her.
Dust exploded into the air.
"Be careful, Sister Xue… this person possesses power at level ninety," Moa's tense voice echoed in her mind.
Xue Yunxue's heart pounded heavily.
Level ninety.
That was not an opponent one could face carelessly.
The black mist above her slowly condensed, swirling like a fragment of night before forming into a human figure.
A tall man stood suspended in the air.
His long black robe fluttered softly, devouring the surrounding light. His face remained hidden beneath the shadow of a hood, leaving only a cold, oppressive aura.
"So… you possess plant-element power…" His voice was hoarse and low, like metal scraping against stone.
"To be honest… I find you very interesting."
His spiritual pressure descended like a collapsing mountain, causing the ground around Xue Yunxue to tremble violently.
"Unfortunately… I still have to kill you."
The moment those words fell—
the surrounding space shook.
Black blades materialized out of empty air, sharp like fragments of night itself. Every single one aimed directly at Xue Yunxue's vital points.
Xue Yunxue narrowed her eyes.
Thick vines instantly surged from the earth, intertwining to form a massive shield wall before her.
The black blades slammed into the plant barrier, scattering violent bursts of energy. But their numbers kept increasing—dozens… then hundreds.
Each strike grew heavier.
Her vine shield began to tear apart.
The ground beneath her feet sank several inches under the crushing pressure of her opponent's energy.
Her breathing became unstable.
Just as she was about to be overwhelmed—
the sky above suddenly darkened.
Hundreds of black swords appeared like a meteor shower, carrying a cold and absolute killing intent.
All of them shot straight toward the mysterious man.
A familiar energy filled the air.
Lu Xiao had arrived.
Dense black mist surrounded him as he appeared in midair, his crimson eyes radiating a chilling aura filled with rarely seen fury.
Without a single word, the shadow swords rained down upon their enemy.
However—
the man in black merely raised one hand.
His movement was casual.
A single light wave—
BOOM!
An invisible surge of energy swept through the air, shattering every black sword into fragments of light before they could even reach him.
Silence returned.
The man tilted his head slightly, as though he had just noticed something interesting.
"Ah… so this is the discarded half-vampire."
Discarded? Xue Yunxue's thoughts tightened as she glanced at Lu Xiao, who remained calm.
"Good. That means I can eliminate both of you at once."
Cold wind spiraled between them.
Two dark powers faced each other in the air—and for the first time, the pressure from their energies caused the surrounding space to begin cracking slowly.
The real battle… had just begun.
The ground suddenly trembled.
A long crack spread across the rocky surface before exploding open beneath the mysterious man's feet.
BOOM!
Dozens of massive vines burst from the earth like green dragons awakening from ancient slumber. Each vine was as thick as an ancient tree trunk, covered in sharp thorns glowing with poisonous green light. They moved like living beings—twisting, coiling, and attacking from every direction at once.
The air filled with the bitter scent of plant venom.
The vines wrapped around the man's legs, waist, and shoulders, attempting to crush his bones with brutal force.
At the same moment—
the shadow beneath his feet suddenly came alive.
Darkness spread like an ocean of ink.
Lu Xiao emerged from within it, his cold aura turning wild. Dense black energy erupted from his body, forming shadow chains that shot upward and locked the enemy's movements.
Those shadows were not merely an element.
They devoured light.
They bound the soul.
"Now!" Xue Yunxue shouted.
Lu Xiao shot forward.
His body transformed into a streak of black lightning. A shadow sword formed in his hand, extending with violently pulsing killing intent as he thrust directly toward the man's heart—a strike capable of piercing even a steel dragon.
But—
his blade pierced only empty air.
The man vanished.
The vines lost their target and slammed into one another, shattering the ground with explosive force.
Lu Xiao's eyes widened.
Teleportation?
Before he could react—
a cold, heavy voice sounded directly behind him.
"A half-vampire like you… thinks you can kill me?"
The air froze.
A pitch-black sword formed from pure darkness, appearing soundlessly as it stabbed toward Lu Xiao's back.
Too close.
Too fast.
CLANG!
A thorned vine lashed out from the side, wrapping around the man's wrist. Poisonous spikes pierced deeply, releasing hissing green smoke as venom attempted to invade his flesh.
Xue Yunxue stood breathing heavily, both hands trembling under the immense pressure of her opponent's energy.
The battle became two against one.
Vines attacked from below.
Shadows hunted from above.
Attacks came from every direction—bindings, thrusts, slashes, and explosions of spiritual energy colliding until the air itself fractured.
Yet the man… moved far too calmly.
Every attack was avoided with a single light step.
Every restraint broken with minimal motion.
As though they were fighting nothing more than an illusion.
Suddenly—
Lu Xiao felt something stab from within his chest.
Sharp pain spread like thousands of burning needles.
Gu poison.
His dark energy trembled uncontrollably.
His breathing faltered.
His movements slowed for a fraction of a second—
and that was enough.
The mysterious man appeared before him like a ghost.
A punch.
A bare fist slammed into Lu Xiao's chest.
The sound of cracking bones rang clearly.
A shockwave exploded outward, shattering the ground behind him. Lu Xiao's body was hurled dozens of meters away, crashing into a massive rock that shattered into pieces.
"LU XIAO!" Xue Yunxue cried.
Fear clenched her chest.
No… they would not win if this continued.
The man slowly turned, his killing intent now fully directed at Xue Yunxue.
His black sword descended.
Xue Yunxue immediately formed a green energy shield.
BOOM!
The impact forced her knees to slam into the ground. The shield cracked, plant energy shattering like glass made of light.
Her eyes flashed with anger.
She forced every ounce of spiritual energy outward.
Her body moved faster than before. Vines erupted endlessly—attacking from behind, from the sides, from above, even from her own shadow.
She appeared beside the man, striking directly toward his neck.
But—
CLANG!
He blocked the attack with his bare hand.
His palm struck her left arm.
Pain exploded instantly.
She felt her bone break.
A loud crack stole her breath. Her arm went numb at once, hanging uselessly at her side.
Xue Yunxue bit her lip until it bled, suppressing a scream.
Frustration and fear mixed together inside her.
In the distance, Lu Xiao slowly rose to his feet. His chest burned from within as the Gu poison devoured his vampiric energy, yet his gaze remained locked on Xue Yunxue.
He had only one goal.
To get her out alive.
Xue Yunxue raised her right hand.
Green energy condensed.
Dozens—then hundreds—of plant swords formed in the air, each filled with both life force and lethal poison.
"HAAH!"
The blades launched forward endlessly like a raging storm.
At the same time, Lu Xiao attacked again, the shadows around him transforming into thousands of black spears falling from the sky.
Heaven and earth attacked simultaneously.
Yet the mysterious man merely raised his hand.
A single wave of black energy erupted outward.
All of their attacks—
were destroyed.
The plant swords shattered into fragments of light.
The shadow spears vanished like dust.
The remaining pressure struck both of them at once, causing the surrounding air to quake violently.
The difference in power…
was far too great.
And for the first time, Xue Yunxue realized something terrifying—
This man… had not even begun fighting seriously.
"Sister Xue… let's use the power of the Peach Tree of Life. I've already summoned it here," Moa whispered inside her consciousness. This time, her voice was no longer relaxed, but urgent and grave.
"It's the only way we can survive."
Xue Yunxue's heart pounded violently.
Spiritual energy within her body trembled violently, as though something long asleep had finally been called awake.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment.
Then—
the ground beneath them pulsed.
DUUM… DUUM… DUUM…
Like the heartbeat of a colossal being deep beneath the earth.
Cracks of golden light spread across the ground, forming ancient root-like patterns. From within those fissures, golden vines slowly emerged—different from before. These vines appeared gentle, almost sacred, radiating a warm glow that sharply contrasted with the deathly aura surrounding the man in black.
The air changed.
Life energy flooded the battlefield.
For the first time, the mysterious man reacted.
He stepped back half a pace.
"…Legendary plant energy?" His interest toward Xue Yunxue deepened.
The golden vines moved.
Not wildly.
Not violently.
But inevitably—like a natural law that could not be denied.
They surged forward.
The man raised his black sword and slashed with full force. Darkness exploded from the swing, powerful enough to split a small mountain.
CLANG!
The strike landed on the golden vine—
but it was his sword that shattered.
Cracks spread from the blade's tip to its hilt before it exploded into dark fragments that dissolved into the air.
The man's eyes widened.
Impossible.
The golden vine instead wrapped around his arm, its warm light transforming into crushing pressure. The darkness within his body hissed as if being burned alive.
Lu Xiao, watching from the side, froze briefly.
This girl… was still hiding another power?
Xue Yunxue's aura had completely changed. Her hair drifted gently in waves of golden spiritual energy, and her dark eyes reflected deep life energy—calm, yet terrifying.
"This is our chance!" Lu Xiao shouted.
He moved instantly.
Shadows exploded around him, transforming into dozens of black blades that attacked simultaneously. At the same time, Xue Yunxue controlled the golden vines from all directions, forming an inescapable net.
For the first time—
the man was forced back.
He leapt backward to avoid one strike, yet the golden vines pursued relentlessly. Lu Xiao's shadows sealed his escape routes, forcing him to remain trapped in place.
Attacks came without pause.
Explosions of energy shattered the ground around them.
Lu Xiao appeared directly before him.
His sword thrust forward.
This time—
it struck.
SREEET!
The shadow blade tore through the man's black robe, dark fabric splitting apart and scattering in the shockwave.
The veil of shadow surrounding him collapsed.
His true face was finally revealed.
A brown-haired man with sharp, angular features. His narrow eyes were cold like those of a predator accustomed to killing without emotion. His nose was high, his skin pale—almost bloodless.
But the most striking feature—
was a long centipede-shaped scar crawling across his left cheek.
The dark-red scar seemed alive, faintly pulsing as though it possessed its own awareness.
Lu Xiao froze.
His pupils shrank.
"…Zora."
The name escaped him like a low growl.
One of the elite officers of the Sovereign of Darkness.
A monster known even among vampires as a ruthless executioner of dark power.
Zora touched his exposed cheek and smiled faintly.
"I didn't expect this…" he murmured, his gaze shifting toward Xue Yunxue with far deeper interest than before.
"…you possess such extraordinary ancient power."
The darkness around his body suddenly surged.
The ground beneath them cracked.
Level-ninety pressure erupted without restraint.
Emerald light burst into Xue Yunxue's hand.
A spiritual sword formed from pure energy, its blade long and translucent like living crystal. Green light pulsed within it, as though it possessed its own breath.
At the same time, the earth trembled again.
Dozens of golden vines burst from the ground, moving like living dragons that both protected and attacked. Golden and green light intertwined, forming such overwhelming life energy that the surrounding air vibrated.
On the other side, Lu Xiao's eyes turned an even deeper crimson.
The shadows beneath his feet spread rapidly, devouring nearby light.
WHOOSH—
Hundreds of black arrows formed in the air, each slowly rotating with their tips aimed directly at Zora. Dense dark energy weighed heavily upon the space, as if gravity itself had multiplied.
"We end this now," Lu Xiao said, his voice low but sharp.
Their attacks launched simultaneously.
Golden vines struck from below and the sides. Shadow arrows shot forward like a black meteor shower. The emerald sword in Xue Yunxue's hand shone brilliantly as she advanced through the storm of energy.
Zora finally frowned.
He stomped his foot.
BOOM!
A black spiritual barrier appeared around him—a dense dome of energy pulsing with high-level power. Shadow arrows slammed into it repeatedly, explosions rippling across its surface.
But—
the golden vines touched the shield.
CRACK.
A small fracture appeared.
Zora's eyes widened.
The golden vines were not destroyed… instead, they devoured his defensive energy like roots absorbing nutrients from the soil.
The cracks spread rapidly.
Xue Yunxue saw her chance.
Her gaze turned cold, all hesitation replaced by absolute resolve.
She dashed forward.
The emerald sword rose high.
"HAH!"
Her strike landed directly on the fracture.
KRAAAAAK!!!
The spiritual barrier shattered like a giant pane of glass, exploding into fragments of black light scattering in all directions.
Before Zora could react—
Xue Yunxue's spiritual sword pierced through his body.
The sound of flesh being penetrated echoed clearly.
The emerald blade emerged from his back, life energy blazing as it burned away the darkness within him.
"You…!" Zora choked.
He stared at the girl before him.
Xue Yunxue's gaze was cold. Firm. Without hesitation.
A girl whose power level had not even reached fifty… had managed to wound him.
Though not a fatal strike, the sword pierced completely through his abdomen.
Life energy disrupted the flow of power inside his body.
Zora sneered, though cold fury filled his eyes.
"…Interesting."
His body suddenly blurred.
Space folded around him.
In a fraction of a second—he vanished.
Only remnants of black mist remained, scattered by the night wind.
Silence fell abruptly.
The spiritual sword in Xue Yunxue's hand disappeared. Her knees nearly gave way.
Lu Xiao hurried toward her.
"You're injured," his voice carried rare panic.
He supported her carefully. Her left arm hung unnaturally, clearly broken. He guided her to sit upon a flat stone.
"I'm fine…" Xue Yunxue breathed heavily. "I have medicine."
She opened her storage space and retrieved a small crystal bottle filled with softly glowing green liquid.
One swallow.
Warm energy immediately spread through her body.
Secretly, she activated the healing power she had gained from the Healing Stone. Gentle light flowed beneath her skin.
Her broken bone crackled softly—
rejoining.
Flesh and nerves slowly restored themselves.
Lu Xiao felt the fluctuation of that energy—foreign, yet warm and soothing. He had never witnessed such power before.
But he did not ask.
If Xue Yunxue chose to keep it secret… he would respect that.
He simply watched her silently.
Since when… had the girl he once protected become this strong?
Before he could say anything—
his body suddenly lost strength.
THUD!
Lu Xiao dropped to his knees.
His breath faltered.
A sharp pain exploded within his chest, far worse than before.
"—UGH!"
He coughed up thick black blood onto the ground.
His body trembled violently.
"Lu Xiao!" Xue Yunxue immediately caught his collapsing body.
The man's skin was as cold as ice. His crimson eyes narrowed, enduring unbearable pain before slowly losing focus.
And in the next second—
he fainted.
"No… no…!"
Xue Yunxue instantly channeled her healing energy.
Green light flowed into Lu Xiao's body… only to stop abruptly.
As if an invisible wall existed near his heart.
She frowned.
There was something there.
Something dark… foreign… and ravenous.
Her healing energy was devoured the moment it entered, like falling into a bottomless abyss. No matter how much power she poured in, his injuries showed not the slightest sign of recovery.
Cold sweat formed on her forehead.
"What is this…?"
Lu Xiao's heartbeat grew weaker.
Just as panic began to take hold—
THE SKY SPLIT OPEN WITH A FLASH OF GOLDEN LIGHT.
BOOOOM!!
A radiant figure descended from the heavens like a meteor.
An overwhelming aura instantly suppressed the entire area.
The figure landed before them—
Luo Shixin.
Golden energy swirled around his body, and the moment his gaze fell upon Lu Xiao's condition… his expression turned deathly cold.